An Absurd Proposal
by Andi-Scribbles
Summary: Shopping for a wedding dress with Alice and Rosalie could be almost as hectic as the wedding itself. And some moments in the life of Bella Swan could be as mundane and beautiful as a Picasso. [Oneshot, BxE]


**Title: **"An Absurd Proposal"

**Word Count: **1,912

**Pairing/Character: **Bella/Edward

**Warnings: **a little fluffy, a little angsty- Rated G, folks ;)

**Author's Note: **Thanks so much to my beta, Mags! I appreciate all the help.

Marriage, before Edward, was something I had not even come close to considering.

Of course, having a love like we did changed things around a bit. I couldn't go through hell and back, _twice, _to throw away the idea of joining my hand in his forever. And marriage, when compared to becoming a vampire, was much lower on the 'no-turning-back' scale. Still, I found the idea of actually tying the knot a bit, um… _intimidating_.

Terrifying, actually.

Luckily enough, one glance at my fiancé's face took away my fear and replaced it with a rather embarrassing, goofy smile. And I'll be a holy crow if the Cullens and Charlie didn't remind me of it every single day.

So you can easily see, in this little boutique shop in Seattle, why it felt downright _weird _to be picking out my own wedding gown.

"Come out already, Bella!"

Ah. That would be Alice. I considered not responding and changing into the next dress. Maybe she wouldn't notice I skipped it.

"I'm _not_ coming out in this thing! I can see it now; the train's going to trip me, I'm going to fall on my face, and you're all going to laugh your butts off at my expense."

I could hear Edward chuckling outside. Alice shouted back, unfazed. "Now, you know you'll be laughing right along with us!"

"Yes," I yelled back, struggling to zip the rest up, "And my face will be all red too!"

Howls of laughter escaped the three waiting on me. I banged my head on the door.

"Stop that," said Edward firmly as his family brought themselves under control, "You're not going to want a giant bruise on your forehead!"

Finally, I stepped out. Alice and Edward gasped, amused expressions and raised eyebrows on their faces. After a moment of stunned silence, Rosalie finally came back to our secluded corner of the store, carrying an armful of white gowns.

"Alice, did _you _pick that one?"

Alice made a noise of exasperation, narrowing her eyes at the baggy torso and poufy bottom. I rubbed my temples. Wasn't there _anything _that looked good on me? Of course, each of these dresses could be worn by either of my two soon-to-be sisters in law and still look completely stunning.

I turned around again. "I look hideous. Where's the next one, Alice?"

Edward gave a tut of annoyance, walking over to me and slipping an arm around my waist. Somehow, my frustration just seemed to _melt_ under his cool fingers. Looking in the mirror, I could not help but smile at our two reflections—one human girl, mussed hair and the trademark goofy smile, and one perfect angel with smoldering eyes and a crooked grin. I sighed.

"You could never be hideous," he said, now serious.

And realizing what he was looking at in the mirror, too, I flushed. I saw in him what he saw in me; happiness, radiance, and love. It was enough to send me over the edge with ecstasy.

Thankfully, I had Rosalie's blunt comment to bring me back to the real world.

"You're right Edward. It's that _dress_ that's hideous," she murmured, eyes gone glassy thinking of other styles for me. I groaned. Alice laughed, handing me another one. Going back into the changing room, I observed the dress. It was lovely, with lacy, short sleeves and a beaded empire waist. I noted this one's hemline was mercifully short; halfway between my knees and ankles. It was lined in pearls that were fashioned to look like tiny white flowers. I liked it immediately.

Unfortunately, the laces in the back that tied the two sides together were something I wouldn't even attempt.

"Alice, could you help me? I can't get he laces," I projected over the door. Edward replied that he was coming, and I heard Alice playfully slap his arm and approach the door. She came in and gave me the rolled eyes that usually meant 'boys will be boys' in the Cullen house. I giggled.

After tying the laces, Alice turned me around to face the mirror. I immediately knew this was the one.

"It's _perfect,_" she breathed. I nodded, for once feeling the absolute certainty that I had found the dress I would wear.

We came out, and I could hardly breathe seeing the intensity in Edwards smoldering eyes. He was looking at me as if I was something to eat—and not in the 'my brand of heroin' way. I shivered, and somehow the movement was not unpleasant.

"Yes," Rosalie agreed appraisingly, "Perfect." Of course, she was right. If anyone, Alice and Rosalie knew the moment in a shopper's time when they had found 'it.' It was a relief to finish one thing and start with the _real _wedding problems—like how to pull off a night wedding, and how I was going to get Jacob to even consider going to a wedding swarming with his mortal enemies. It was a nightmare, but at least I had this small thing done.

Still thinking of these things, I absently looked at the tag. And sputtered.

Couture. Incredibly _expensive _couture.

Rosalie sniffed and saw what made me cringe. She shrugged it off. "Alice has spent more than this on a pair of sunglasses."

For a moment, I thought she was kidding—until I saw the guilty grin on Alice's pixie face. She muttered something about "indulgence." I rolled my eyes, wondering whether I would ever get used to having enough money to live well and more. Probably not.

Edward would hear nothing of my protests and took the dress straight up to the saleswoman. Ringing the gold credit card up for one full payment, she took a sideways glance and Edward and I and sighed, smiling. "You're very lucky to have this young man, you know," she said to me, wrapping the dress in a plastic covering. "Any adjustments to the tailoring need to be done?"

I shook my head, thanking her and telling her 'yes,' I was a _very _lucky girl. Edward went to pull the car around to the front.

As he stepped out, she only gave me a broad smile and wink, before saying, "Enjoy it, Sweetheart. It's the beginning of a wonderful life for you."

I couldn't have agreed more.

It was hard to believe, but two months after finding my wedding dress, I was going to be married in a month. And even before that, I would be a high school graduate and every bit as on my own as I had ever dreamed. It was sensational. And a bit overwhelming.

I still could not convince Jacob to step anywhere near the wedding. He refused to speak of Edward the few times we did talk, and even then it was strained conversation. His little 'pack' was becoming restless where I was concerned, and Jacob warned me that if any kind of dam broke between the werewolves and vampires of Forks, he would not be able to stop it. He did, however, promise to remain at my side when I needed him… and try to mend what he could between the two enemies.

It was even harder to believe that any member of the Cullen family, even when provoked, would ever engage in war with the werewolves. Carlisle, especially, was beyond petty fighting—though I don't think any of Esme's sons would follow their adoptive father's refusal to dirty hands with a war. Edward I was particularly worried about. Once I was involved, which was bound to happen, he wouldn't hesitate to protect me in any way he felt was necessary. Truthfully, it was one giant mess.

I was thinking about these things and more, about four weeks to the wedding, outside on Charlie's porch. He was inside, speaking with my mother (who had come for an excited, if a bit awkward, extended stay at Charlie's.) Phil and Charlie were catching up on each other's lives, grateful they both had my mother in common to talk about. I wished I could just as easily sit down and enjoy talk of the wedding, but stormier thoughts seemed to gather in my head like the grey sky.

What if this _wouldn't _work? Had I ever thought on what would happen if we couldn't find some solution to this? I had Jacob, who saved me from a lifetime of silent greif… and on the other hand, Edward—the one thing that gave my life true meaning. There had to be some way to incorporate these angels into my life, side by side. My mind danced in circles trying to find the anser to that.

"Bella," said Edward from behind me. I jumped, turning to see him close the porch door and approach me.

He looked down at my pensive expression, then seated himself next to me on the wooden floorboards.

"You're thinking too hard."

I chuckled. It eased the weight on my chest a little.

"I could be not thinking at all," I teased, "You wouldn't know." He grinned and rolled his eyes. But again, his face shifted to concern.

"I know it seems… strange. And hard—to deal with everything now." He sighed, looking up into the ugly dark clouds. "But I'm happy. I want to think you're happy—"

"—Of course I am," I said, amazed he could think otherwise.

"I'm glad," he said with a grin, showing his white teeth. I couldn't help but smile back. Both of us looked back to the rainy sky, threatening to pour generous showers for the fourth time this week. And suddenly, it didn't seem so ominous now. There was a bit of sun shining through the clouds—it didn't promise any nice weather, but it lit up the sky with an electric brightness. The rain would come, of course, but there would be clear skies in the night, enough to see the stars… I breathed deeply, willing the worry away.

I was getting married to the only man I could ever want. I had a two equally loving families behind me. And there would always be chances for resolution when the time came.

But right now, I was happy. That was everything I wanted. Everything I _needed. _

"You know," started Edward in his mischievous voice, "your mother made a rather nasty comment on my proposal technique."

I smirked. "Did she? She should know how it's done."

"Yes, she mentioned that." He chuckled. "She said my proposal was haphazard… and, what was it? Oh, a bit 'absurd?'"

"Absurd?" I laughed, hardly able to contain my mirth. "That is the perfect word for all of this. Everything's going into a stress overload." I gestured to us, and to the dark forest and the rain that now poured from the sky.

He agreed. "And I have just the thing to wind it all down…" his lips trailed my throat gently, sending flutters through my stomach. I was lucky to be sitting down, because sooner or later my knees would have buckled. I steeled myself to control my automatic urge to give in, and smiled mysteriously.

"That," I said, standing up and moving towards the door, "is an absurd proposal."

He groaned, laughing.

"Back inside, then, before I decide I won't let you go."

"I thought you already did," I said lightly, "I have."

And we stepped into the warmth of the house, preparing for what was to come—whether it was rain, or shine.

**THE END**


End file.
